Lilyflower's Gift
by FennekinFan
Summary: What role did Lilyflower play in Crookedstar's life? And what was the inspiration behind the gift of compassion? Canon X OC. Rated T for safety's sake.
1. Allegiances

_Allegiances_

_RiverClan_

Leader:

Hailstar-thick pelted grey tom

Deputy:

Shellheart-dappled grey tom

Medicine Cat: Brambleberry-pretty white she-cat with black spotted fur, blue eyes, and a strikingly pink nose

Warriors:

Rippleclaw-black-and-silver tabby tom

Timberfur-brown tom

Mudfur-long-haired light brown tom

Owlfur-brown-and-white tom

Ottersplash-white-and-pale-ginger she-cat

Cedarpelt- brown tabby tom, stout and short-tailed

Lilystem-grey she-cat

Brightsky-nimble white-and-ginger she-cat

Piketooth-skinny brown tabby tom with a narrow face and protruding canine teeth

Lakeshine-pretty, long-haired, grey-and-white she-cat

Shimmerpelt-night black she-cat with a glossy pelt

Adderjaw-handsome, short-haired, dark brown tom with sea green eyes

Runningstripe-black tom with a yellow stripe down back.

Thornleaf-slender, dappled white she-cat, tinged with ginger around the chin

Redfire-fiery ginger tom with a black tabby-striped tail

Gorgefall-blue-grey she-cat with a ginger tail ring

Mousekill-fairly light grey tom with yellow eyes

Cloudwatcher-thick-furred, pure white she-cat

Apprentices:

Softpaw-small, lithe, white she-cat with tabby patches

Whitepaw-pure white tom with a tabby-striped tail and brown paws

Tinypaw-grey tom with deep green eyes

Queens:

Echomist-long-haired grey she-cat, fur tipped with white to give her a soft, cloudy appearance (mother to **Volekit**, a grey tom, **Beetlekit**, a black tom, and **Petalkit**, a tortoiseshell she-kit)

Rainflower-pale grey she-cat (mother to **Crookedkit**, a light brown tabby tom with a broken jaw, and** Oak-kit**, a reddish brown tom)

Fallowtail-light brown she-cat with blue eyes and soft fur (mother to **Greykit**, a dark grey she-kit, and **Willowkit**, a silver-grey tabby she-kit)

Spotface-small calico she-cat (mother to **Lilykit**, a light grey she-kit with a white muzzle, **Dancingkit**, a ginger tom, and **Slowkit**, a white tom)

Longdream-long-haired black-and-white she-cat with a long tail

Sweetbreath-pretty blue-grey she-cat with amber eyes (mother to **Fleetkit**, a tan tom with a faint black chest spot, and **Preykit**, a blue-grey she-kit with a faint white chest spot)

Elders:

Troutclaw-grey tabby tom

Tanglewhisker-long-haired tom with a thick, knotted pelt

Birdsong-tabby-and-white she-cat with ginger patches around her muzzle, flecked with grey

_Cats Outside Clan_

Loudfeet-yellow tom with white paws, former RiverClan warrior


	2. Prologue

_Prologue_

Lilyflower.

That name may not ring a bell, but it was her, the blue-eyed she-cat, who gave Crookedstar his fifth life - and the gift of compassion.

But how was she involved in Crookedstar's life, I hear you ask?

She was a cat Crookedstar admired. Lilyflower did something extraordinary, something which stays in Crookedstar's memory, no matter what he did wrong.

At long last, the story of the inspiration behind Lilyflower's gift, and the love that she found, is going to be told.

* * *

**AN: Does this sound promising? Constructive criticism welcome.**


	3. Chapter 1-Lilykit

_Chapter 1_

_Lilykit_

A little she-kit's vision blurred into conscience. She had woken up. Curiously she gazed around at her unfamiliar surroundings. This wasn't her mother's womb. And she didn't like it.

She began to cry.

"Oh, for StarClan's sake,' moaned another cat. In her fit, the kit couldn't recognise who this was. "Lick her!' Suddenly she felt a massive force, saliva being slobbered onto her. She looked up and saw a light grey she-cat. Her eyes were large, and emerald-green. Immediately she recognised her as her mother. Then she heard her say something.

"Lilykit.'

Lilykit? That must be her name!

Then she looked behind. There were two tom kits play fighting - one ginger, one white. It was blatant the ginger one was winning. He looked like he was… dancing.

"Lilykit,' mewed her mother, "Those are your brothers.'

She introduced the ginger one as Dancingkit, and the white one as Slowkit. Slowkit surrendered defeat, then went to sleep. Dancingkit meowed in victory.

Suddenly, Lilykit realised what they were lying in.

A pool of their mother's blood.

"Oh no! Spotface!'

Spotface… that must be her mother. Either way, she was shaking and crying.

She was dying.

The kits struggled to get up, and fell on the floor crying, too. They knew what happened. There was blood around the cave floors. Even blood on the blood.

Oh Spotface.

Lilykit cried. Dancingkit cried. Spotkit cried.

A nursery drowning in tears.

"I'm so sorry, kits,' sighed a massive dark brown tom. His blue eyes were filled with tears as he brushed Lilykit's white muzzle. Then he padded over to his dead mate.

"You were a good mate,' he sobbed. "May the sun warm your back and the fish leap into your paws.'

_Two moons passed…_

Lilykit was eating from the fresh-kill pile. She then ran back to the nursery. No more did she want to eat - she just wanted to be near the nursery, swimming. Nowhere near her mother.

No, not Spotface - she's dead, remember?

After her death, Lilykit and her brothers gained a foster mother, a black and white she-cat by the name of Longdream. She was a fairly strict mother, and heavily enforced the rule of not being allowed to leave the nest. It was entirely possible that doing the same thing over and over again - caring for kits - and expecting her situation to change, has brought her into insanity territory.

While deep in thought, Dancingkit bounded over.

"Gosh!' he mewed, "Longdream's so mean!'

"Tell me something I don't know,' sighed Lilykit.

"Umm…' While Dancingkit was very agile, he wasn't exactly very intelligent.

"Don't worry,' mewed Lilykit sweetly. "Not everyone is smart.'

"KITS! TIME TO SWIM!'

That loud voice belonged to none other than Longdream.

"Hurry up, Slowkit!" mewed Dancingkit. Slowkit padded (slowly) towards his siblings.

"I was going as fast as I could!' he moaned. "Give me a break!'

The kits went to swim together.

Nearby, Crookedkit, who had just received news that Rainflower was moving into the warrior's den, was watching them. He was intently looking at Lilykit. He admired her compassion.

**AN: I know it isn't much, but at least it's a start. Constructive criticism welcome.**


	4. Chapter 2-Swimming

**AN: Thanks for the all the favourites! And so you're aware, this was set during Crookedstar's Promise. And the rest of the chapter being in itallics... I have no idea how that happened, because it wasn't set that way on Word Processor!**

_Chapter 2_

_Swimming_

Swimming was at the heart of every RiverClan cat. The river wasn't there for nothing! A shallow part of the river ran past the nursery, and this is how kits learn to love the water - and to swim in it.

This was what Lilykit and her brothers would be doing today.

They reluctantly padded over to Longdream, who was waiting impatiently for them.

"You'll never be great warriors,' she growled. "Not if you're this slow. Especially you, Slowkit!'

The kits said their apologies, then queued by the river.

"I know you aren't apprentices yet,' meowed Longdream, "But I thought it would be time for you to learn how to swim.' She pointed her long tail at the river. "Watch me.'

She dived into the river. The kits watched her paddling, among several shadows of fish. She looked as if she had become one herself.

"Now you try.'

But not everyone was a visual learner. Dancingkit leapt in and started flailing about.

"Stop playing, Dancingkit!' yowled Longdream. She grasped Dancingkit by the neck seconds before he could fall in, then put him on the river bank. "Maybe you could watch your sister. She looks like a promising swimmer - I have seen her swim a few times before.' Then she turned to the light silver-grey she-kit. "Lilykit, when you're ready.'

"Okay,' purred Lilykit enthusiastically. She dipped her paw in the river, noticing how shallow it was. Then she jumped. She paddled slowly upwards. This was a wise decision, as she managed to get the hang of it. Then again, she was no athlete yet.

"Good kit!' mewed Longdream. "Try again, Dancingkit.'

Little did she know Dancingkit was fluttering his paws in the river. He was trying to copy Lilykit's movements, but to no avail.

Suddenly he lost his balance and fell in.

"Dancingkit!' yowled Lilykit. She took a deep breath and dived in. In the shallow river, she could just about make out her brother flailing, but not rising. It was horrible. She didn't know what to do.

Then, all of a sudden, Dancingkit was being carried downstream. So was Lilykit. This was going to be a huge challenge for both of them. But Lilykit kept trying.

She grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, and rose to the surface. Then she placed him on the riverbank, and yelled, "I'll see you back at camp!'

She finally put her newfound swimming abilities to good use. She swam with all her might. The current was slowing down now, so this was a fairly easier for the she-kit.

When she arrived back at camp, Slowkit and Dancingkit were waiting for her.

"Wow, I'd never be able to swim like you!" Slowkit confessed.

"I bet you could," smiled Lilykit, "I'm not exactly us to scratch yet, but it's going to take practice, practice and more practice. Deal?" She climbed onto the bank.

"Deal!" Slowkit mewed. The siblings laughed, as other kits came to swim in the calming sunhigh light.

_The next day…_

As luck would have it, swimming is how Lilykit met someone special. And yet she didn't know it at the time.

She was paddling about, when she noticed a tan tomkit with a notch on his left ear. He looked so streamlined in the water - something Lilykit's brothers could never do.

And then she bumped into him.

Still paddling, Lilykit sighed, "Sorry about that. I'm not really as skilled as I look."

"Actually," the tomkit replied, "I think you were pretty good. I think you have potential!"

Upon hearing the tomkit's approval, Lilykit's ears pricked up. "By the way," she mewed, "My name is Lilykit. And you are?"

The tomkit puffed up his chest to reveal a faint black chest spot. "Fleetkit," he responded.

"I'll remember that name," smiled Lilykit.

Not far off, a certain Crookedkit was sat on the bank, feeling happy for the young couple.


	5. Chapter 3-Family and Other Matters

_Chapter 3_

_Family and Other Matters_

It was a mere 3 days since the river incident. Lilykit and Fleetkit had become good friends, and showed in interest in meeting each other's families.

Fleetkit decided to take his sister, Preykit, with him to see Lilykit's relatives, and show her his.

"Mommy Longdream," she mewed to the long-haired she-cat, "This is my friend, Fleetkit." Fleetkit puffed up his chest. Lilykit then pointed her tail to the blue-grey she-kit. She had a faint chest spot, like her brother, but it was white.

"And that's Preykit."

Longdream looked down at Fleetkit, and smiled. "My," she admitted, "He reminds me of my Tinypaw."

She flicked her tail at a young grey tom, who padded over to his mother for the first time since leaving the nest.

"So, mum," he meowed, "Those are the kits you're caring for?"

Longdream nodded. She looked visibly tired. Looking after kits, especially kits who aren't yours, is exhausting work. But someone's got to do it.

Suddenly, Lilykit's father stood before his daughter. He noticed Fleetkit was looking at him strangely.

"Oh," added Lilykit, "Fleetkit, that's Adderjaw. He's my daddy."

"And who might these little rascals be?" yowled Adderjaw playfully.

Preykit spoke first. "I'm Preykit, and the kit to my right is my brother, Fleetkit."

Dancingkit and Slowkit bounded over to their sister's friends.

"Who are these guys?" spat Dancingkit.

"Dancingkit!" scolded Longdream. "Don't be so mean!"

"Sorry." Dancingkit dipped his head.

"Anyway," continued Lilykit, "They're my brothers. Dancingkit rambles on too much, but Slowkit is more of a thinker. That's the main difference."

Preykit smiled. "I think your brothers are cool."

"They can be rather annoying sometimes," Lilykit confessed, "But they're still my brothers. Though we may argue in the nest, outside we're a team!" A large smile came onto her face.

A pretty blue-grey she-cat suddenly stepped behind Fleetkit and Preykit.

"Kits," she mewed, "I think it's time we met the elders!"

The two kits mewed with joy.

"By the way," added Fleetkit, "That's my mummy, Sweetbreath." He walked away with his mother. "See you soon!"

Lilykit did hope she would have more adventures when she was an apprentice.

Well, she would.

And that was just the beginning…

_The kits reached 6 moons…_

Lilykit was surrounded by walls of purple mist. Unnerving noises entered her auditory canals, startling her. Then a figure she recognised as Spotface, her mother, stood before her. She had a warm smile, something the little she-kit only got to see for a short while before she flooded the nursery with tears as Spotface died. The calico she-cat looked at her daughter fully for the first time.

Then she spoke.

"My dear Lilykit, it's been too long." Her voice was gentle. "It's me, Spotface. Today's the day you become an apprentice."

Lilykit nodded.

"And so will your brothers and your two little friends." Spotface smiled. "Oh, I always thought my little kits would be social creatures! Anyway, you'd best be ready."

"How come?" mewed Lilykit.

"Because it is sunup. You should've been awake by now."

"Spotface, do stop fussing. I'll wake in my own time."

And sure enough, light entered her eyes. Adderjaw was looking down at her.

"Wake up, my little apprentice!" he said cheerfully.

Lilykit stood up, and let her father continue.

"It feels like only yesterday you were eating your first piece of fresh-kill," he meowed nostalgically. "You will always be my little kit…"

Lilykit smiled. Then she joined her brothers and her friends in eating.

"I wonder who our mentors will be?" questioned Slowkit.

Dancingkit tilted his head. "Hmm… good question."

"It'll be whoever Hailstar chooses," mewed Preykit. Hailstar was the RiverClan leader, and was in charge of all ceremonies.

A little while later, his deputy, Shellheart, padded over to the kits.

"We have made our decisions, he meowed. "Come this way."

Lilykit, Dancingkit, Slowkit, Fleetkit and Preykit bounced along. There were warriors and apprentices sat before Hailstar, who had called the clan meeting, He raised his head to speak.

"Today is a special day for RiverClan, as it means that these five kits move a step closer to being full warriors. They have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for them to be apprenticed." He looked down at the kits. "Can you all step forward, please?"

They did as their leader commanded.

"Very good," Hailstar replied. "I shall continue with the proceedings. From this day forward, until they have earned their warrior names, these kits shall be known as Lilypaw, Dancingpaw, Slowpaw, Fleetpaw and Preypaw."

The new apprentices smiled. They looked over to their mothers. Sweetbreath was flexing her claws and Longdream was heaving a sigh of relief. Both she-cats were to return to their warrior duties after the ceremony.

Hailstar signalled to five warriors. They appeared to be the mentors for the apprentices. The first warrior was a tom, fiery ginger with black tabby stripes on his tail. The second was a dappled white she-cat, tinged with ginger around the chin. The third was a pure white she-cat with large eyes - the left one was blue, the other was copper-coloured. She was the last to arrive, so it would appear that she was deaf. The fourth was a blue-grey she-cat, that had a ginger ring around the middle of her tail. And the fifth was… Adderjaw? Lilykit supposed that he was going to mentor Fleetpaw or Preypaw.

Then Hailstar began assigning the mentors. He looked at the fiery ginger tom. "Redfire," he yowled, "You will be mentor to Lilypaw." Lilypaw touched noses with her new mentor. Redfire's nose felt strangely warm to touch.

Dancingpaw was next. "Gorgefall, you will be mentor to Dancingpaw." Dancingpaw playfully jumped up to the blue-grey she-cat's nose, and just about managed to touch it.

"Cloudwatcher." Hailstar spoke. The white she-cat with the odd eyes looked around aimlessly. Redfire nudged his fellow warrior and pointed his tail at Slowpaw, and Cloudwatcher's eyes followed.

"Well," continued Hailstar, "I don't really need to say now, but Slowpaw's mentor will be Cloudwatcher nonetheless." The she-cat bent down and touched noses with her new apprentice.

"Adderjaw," Hailstar meowed. Lilypaw jumped up and cried "Good luck daddy!". Hailstar, completely unfazed by this, carried on. "You will be mentor to Fleetpaw." Fleetpaw dashed up to touch noses. "What are the odds?" he purred.

"And finally, Thornleaf." The dappled she-cat stood forward. "You will be mentor to Preypaw." As Preypaw touched noses with Thornleaf, Hailstar finished by saying, "I hope all five of you will pass on what you know to these apprentices."

The clan cheered.

"Lilypaw! Dancingpaw! Slowpaw! Fleetpaw! Preypaw! Lilypaw! Dancingpaw! Slowpaw! Fleetpaw! Preypaw!"

The kits let the cheering fill their ears.

In the back of the crowd, Crookedkit looked a little deflated. He hoped for the day that he would be an apprentice too. But then Lilypaw walked up to him and said something that, as long as Crookedkit lived, he would never forget: "Patience has its rewards."


	6. Chapter 4-Fighting Lessons

_Chapter 4_

_Fighting Lessons_

The new apprentices' abilities were beginning to take shape.

Today, Lilypaw and Redfire were training by the river. This was a fighting lesson, and she was learning to Play Dead.

"Listen to me, Lilypaw," yowled Redfire. His voice was raucous and low. "One day this technique will save your life. We are going to practice playing dead."

Lilypaw listened eagerly.

"Now, I'm going to pin you," warned Redfire. "Don't be surprised when I do. It is simply an effective place to use this technique.

Lilypaw nodded. "Go on then."

Redfire did as he said, and launched onto his apprentice. He watched her struggle.

"Stop. Now go limp."

Lilypaw followed Redfire's instructions, and fell, seemingly lifeless. Redfire relaxed his grip. He smiled.

"Now push up!" he instructed.

Lilypaw opened her eyes, and pushed herself up explosively. Redfire was thrown off guard, and his apprentice was ready to attack.

"Good, good!" complemented Redfire. "You're a fast learner, aren't you?"

Lilypaw laughed. "I guess I am."

* * *

Dancingpaw, on the other paw, was a defiant apprentice. He and Gorgefall didn't always get along. But she still stuck to teaching him. The technique she was going to teach the rebellious tom today was the ability to Roll Over.

"Now, listen carefully," she began.

Dancingpaw yawned. He wasn't paying much attention.

"This technique is used to avoid an enemy's attacks." Gorgefall lay down. "Try to attack me."

Dancingpaw tried a Forepaw Slash, but Gorgefall rolled to the side.

"No fair!" Dancingpaw spat.

"Exactly," commented Gorgefall. "This was devised with the intention of outwitting your foe. Now you try. And put some effort in this time."

Dancingpaw lay down, as Gorgefall stood, ready for a Front Paw Blow. "Ready when you are!" he laughed. Gorgefall's paw lowered towards his head… but Dancingpaw barely managed to roll to the left and evade the attack. When he looked up, Gorgefall had a look of great satisfaction on her face."I never thought I'd say this," she complemented, "But well done, Dancingpaw!"

The ginger tom just rolled his eyes.

* * *

Despite being the slowest of the litter, Slowpaw was a fairly fast learner. He and Cloudwatcher were training with Preypaw and Thornleaf who were teaching them to Tail Yank.

"You may find yourself in this situation a lot," yowled Thornleaf. "You just cannot seem to throw your foe off balance. But don't despair, you simply yank your foe's tail. It'll surely do the trick."

"Who wants to try?" smiled Cloudwatcher.

Both apprentices jumped for enthusiasm. "We do!" they cried.

Slowkit went first. He crept up behind Cloudwatcher, and placed his mouth onto her tail. Then he pulled it back, and the pure white she-cat allowed herself to fall.

"Good show!" she laughed, as she picked herself up.

"Come on, Preykit," encouraged Thornleaf. "Be brave!"

Preykit apprehensively grabbed hold of her mentor's tail, and tugged it with much force. Thornleaf fell to the ground with some force.

The dappled she-cat got up, and flicked her tail in pride.

"You two will be fine warriors, I can tell!" she meowed.

* * *

Later that day, at about sundown, Fleetpaw was learning a battle skill unique to River Clan - the Tail Splash.

Adderjaw was explaining how to perform it.

"It's fairly simple," he mewed. "All you have to do is flick some water into your enemy's eyes with your tail. It will temporarily blind them, giving you an opportunity to strike."

Fleetpaw nodded smugly.

Tinypaw, who had been brought along as a target, was looking at the younger apprentice with an unnerved expression. His dark grey nose twitched, like that of a mouse.

Without hesitation, Fleetpaw dipped his tail into the water, and splashed it into Tinypaw's amber eyes. The older apprentice jerked back, and, as Adderjaw foretold, was temporarily blinded.

"Easy, tiger!" he quaked, shivering. Being a drypaw, he disliked getting wet. However, he was beginning to accept it as a part of RiverClan life.

* * *

It seemed as if life for the apprentices was fairly straightforward. The kits were growing up, into young adults.

Warriors.

But they were held back. Hailstar explained it was because he was busy with the tasks of his daily life. Yet deep down, the kits knew that they were being punished for a reason.


End file.
